Second Chances
by NeonDomino
Summary: Remus takes a chance on Tonks after losing Sirius. Mentions of previous WolfStar. Character Death. Challenge: Write my NOTP.


**Last Man Standing - Write your NOTP (Remus/Tonks)**

**Character Death (sorry)**

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"I'm too old, too poor," Remus began. "I'm a Werewolf."

He could sense her eyes rolling, but failed to meet them. She knew the last words - the ones he never offered.

'I was in love with your cousin. He was my Soulmate,' went unsaid.

"Remus, none of that makes a difference," she promised. "You deserve happiness and you won't get it if you push anyone who wants to make you happy away."

His eyes moved to hers, and her breath caught at the soft amber eyes full of pain. She wanted nothing more than to ease the man's pain, but she knew it would take a lot of work just to get a chance. He was broken, his heart was still mending.

She just needed to show that she wasn't going anywhere.

**...oOo...**

"I love you," she began. "I know you still love him, and I can accept that'll never change, but you gave me a chance, and I just wanted you to know."

"He'll always be my mate, Dora, but I do care for you so much. I want to see where this goes."

She felt relief flood through her at his words. It wasn't a love declaration, but hers hadn't put him off. He cared for her, and that was enough for her.

**...oOo...**

A green light was heading for him, when a body knocked into his. He stumbled, the light barely missing him. Remus looked at the body next to him to see who had knocked him out-of-the-way, when he found himself staring into a pair of glassy grey eyes, and light brown hair. It took him a moment to realise that this was Tonks' natural look. What she looked like without her powers.

He had never known that her true eye colour was grey. Maybe she had hidden it, trying to make him forget that she wasn't a member of Sirius' family, or maybe to spare him the pain of looking into eyes so similar to Sirius'. It didn't matter. He didn't care what colour her eyes were, all that he wanted was to look into them for many more years.

"Dora?" he begged, pulling her close. "Please, love. I love you," he whispered, wishing he had said the words more when she was alive. "Please, I need you, I can't lose you too. Please wake up, say something."

He knew his words were useless, he knew that her pushing him away from the green light placed her into it. He knew that she had given her life for his, and he didn't deserve that. He wasn't worth that. She had so much life inside her, more than Remus did. She deserved to be the one who lived, not him.

His grief was taken over by red. The battle was a blur, anger urging him on. His hatred of these people who had taken James and Lily from him, taken Sirius from him, twice. They had taken Dora. He had lost Harry for so many years too, and they had stolen the life of Teddy's mother. His son had no mother because of them. Harry had no parents because of them. So many had suffered, and the wolf took over.

When the red fell from his eyes, the Death Eaters were finished.

He sank down onto his knee's next to his wife, his fingers stroking through her hair. Brown hair. Not purple, or blue or pink. Just brown. Her eyes were closed.

She couldn't be gone, this had to be a nightmare.

But he was all Teddy had left. Dora gave her life for him, and he would raise their son. He would make sure that Teddy never forgot his beautiful, wonderful mother.

**...oOo...**

Remus watched his son climb into bed, and he smiled at the two-year old boy as he pulled the blanket over him, kissing him on the forehead.

"Goodnight, Teddy," Remus said.

"Nuhnight Daddy," the small boy replied, his arms wrapping around his father's neck, and holding tight.

"I love you, Teddy," Remus added. Teddy smiled back at him, not having mastered the sentence yet.

"Nuhnight Mummy," Teddy said instead, looking at a picture that was stuck to his bed.

Remus smiled as his son clutched his wolf teddy, and he looked at the picture.

"Goodnight, Dora," he whispered as he did every night during his and Teddy's usual bedtime routine. He turned off the light and left the room.

He had lost everyone else, but he still had Teddy, and no-one would ever take his son away.

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**Words: 755**

**Review Please :)**


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